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Day 8: Raining & Training
SENDAI CITY / KAMI AYASHI, AOBA-KU, SENDAI-SHI (Japan) - On Wednesday, the Dutch Olympic Softball Team held another practice session at the Miyagi Hirose Ballpark and signed autographs afterwards, while also meeting local dignitaries.
Today started with some heavy rain, but at the time the team went to field, the rain was much less.
While the day remained cloudy and the rain kept sprinkling, the practice session could be completed as scheduled, as the temperatures were fine.
And so was the field of the Miyagi Hirose Ballpark in the Aoba Ward of Sendai.
Today, the focus was on hitting for most of the practice session, which concluded with simulated defensive situations.
After practice was completed, the team and staff were greeted by Mrs. Emiko Okuyama, the Deputy Mayor of the City of Sendai.
Mrs. Okuyama was accompanied by Minoru Shoji, who is the Miyagi General Branch Director and Aoba Ward Office Director of the City of Sendai, and Shuichi Gotoh, the Director of the Sports Promotion Section of the Planning and Community Affairs Bureau for the City of Sendai.
The Deputy Mayor was welcomed by KNBSB-President Ruud van Zetten and both exchanged gifts.
Hereafter, an autograph session followed, with the players and staff of the Dutch Team giving autographs to children of a local school, who waved the team goodbye when it left the field to return to the hotel.
Later on the day, there was an optional weightlifting session to conclude the day.
After lunch, KNBSB-President Ruud van Zetten and his wife left Sendai as they were off to the station for a train-ride to Tokyo.
On Friday-morning, the Van Zetten's will head for Korea to be a few days with the Dutch Olympic Baseball Team, which prepares in Chuncheon.
Starting on Friday, the baseball-squad will play five games in five days, before traveling to Beijing.
The softball-team will be back on the field on Thursday-morning again for another 3-hour practice.
Marjan Smit arrives at the field for another practice session
Head Coach Liz Kelly conducts her daily team-meeting before the start of practice
Kim Kluijskens works at a hitting station
Jolanda Kroesen is about to connect during another drill
Britt Vonk is ready to hit the ball
Marjan Smit hits one in batting practice
Petra van Heijst starts her swing
Daisy de Peinder feeds the batter during a drill
Nathalie Timmermans looks at the ball to connect
Marloes Fellinger feeds Saskia Kosterink
Despite the rain, Head Coach Liz Kelly keeps smiling
The Singin' Robs, Coach Rob Walgien and Physical Therapist Rob Oskam
Ellen Venker makes contact during batting practice
Pitchers Judith van Kampen and Rebecca Soumeru work with Coach Linda Wells
Coach Linda Wells concentrates on details with the pitchers
Noémi Boekel and Kristi de Vries wait their turn to bat
Sandra Gouverneur follows through during batting practice
After the hitting stations, it was on to the defensive situations
KNBSB-President Ruud van Zetten greets Mrs. Emiko Okuyama, the Deputy Mayor of the City of Sendai
Head Coach Liz Kelly shows a present from the City of Sendai,
while KNBSB-President thanks Deputy Mayor Mrs. Emiko Okuyama
Shuichi Gotoh (Director of the Sports Promotion Section for the Planning & Community Affairs
Bureau of the City of Sendai), Head Coach Liz Kelly, Deputy Mayor of Sendai Emiko Okuyama,
KNBSB-President Ruud van Zetten, Coach Linda Wells, Coach Rob Walgien,
Coach Mary-Ann Hatt and Physical Therapist Rob Oskam pose under the 'Hup Holland'-banner
The team waves goodbye to Deputy Mayor Emiko Okuyama, who wears a Dutch cap
The players of the Dutch Team give autographs to children of a local school
Head Coach Liz Kelly and Coach Linda Wells with some autograph-seekers
The Dutch Team and the school-children pose together
(Photo taken by Rienette van Zetten)
The children wave to the Dutch Team when it leaves the field
The team arrives back at the hotel
Go back to the schedule of the Japan Tour
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